Mission Epilogue 1/2

The next morning, I take my family to breakfast at a place where you cook your own pancakes. My daughter loves it, and my sons compete to make the weirdest-looking pancake. It’s a great place.

I almost burn myself, though, as a lady bumps me while I’m pouring my batter. She walks on, doesn’t apologize. Whatever. I’m focused on making the weirdest pancake.

The lady had a black dress. Top quality. Stands out a bit on a Nineday morning.

Now I can see her out in the parking lot. She’s hanging around the garbage processor toward the back of the lot.

Two cars slide up. Three government men in gray suits step out. They approach her.

I see the air-fuzz of a beam weapon forming a line between a nearby white cargo truck and one of the government men. His left shoulder disappears in a pink haze. The other gray government men react immediately, cutting the woman in half as she attempts to raise a pistol.

I’m frozen, watching the back-and-forth killings in a sort of numb slow-motion fog.